Fins and Fun Family Festival lives up to the name

The Shark Exhibit at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium was bustling Saturday, Aug. 10. The annual Fins and Fun Family Festival wrapped up the aquarium’s Shark Days for another year. Booths, live music and a diver in a tank for photo ops bumped up both the “fins” and “fun” quotient at the event. 

Mote’s high school interns capped off a summer of learning with presentations on overfishing and microplastics. With diagrams, explanatory blurbs, show and tell items and games, the students taught the public a thing or two about keeping oceans safe. Another young participant showed the crowd how protecting the ocean is done with her Project STOP booth. Sadie Chawkins gave her presentation on how we can “Stop Toxic Ocean Pollution.” 

Mote’s education specialist, Ross Johnston, gave talks throughout the day in the center of the Shark Exhibit to rapt young audiences captivated by Johnston’s enthusiastic explanations and the shark bones on display. Back in the main exhibit, you could sometimes spot a glittery shark or dolphin on a cheek, courtesy of the oceanic face-painting at the festival.